لِيَهنِكِmay it please you أَنَّthat عَينيmy eye ماnot تَنامُsleeps
لِيَهنِكِ أَنَّ عَيني ما تَنامُ
وَأَنِّيand that I فيكِfor you صَبٌّan ardent lover مُستَهامُlove-distraught
وَأَنِّي فيكِ صَبٌّ مُستَهامُ
May it please you that my eye never sleeps,
Let it bring you joy that my eyes do not sleep,
And that I am, for you, a lover maddened by passion.
That I am consumed with passionate love for you,
وَأَنَّand that القَلبَthe heart بَعدَكِafter your departure ماnot اِستَقَرَّتsettled
وَأَنَّ القَلبَ بَعدَكِ ما اِستَقَرَّت
نَوافِرُهُits unruly stirrings وَلاnor بَرَدَcooled الغَرامُpassion
نَوافِرُهُ وَلا بَرَدَ الغَرامُ
And that, since you left, the heart has not calmed
That after you my heart has not settled down,
Its wild stirrings, nor has passion cooled.
Its rapids have not calmed nor has passion cooled.
جُنِنتُI went mad وَماand not اِنقَضىpassed عَنّاover us ثُلُثٌa third
جُنِنتُ وَما اِنقَضى عَنّا ثُلُثٌ
فَكَيفَthen how إِذاwhen اِنطوىpassed away عامٌa year وَعامُand another year
فَكَيفَ إِذا اِنطوى عامٌ وَعامُ
I have gone mad, though not even a third has passed over us;
In less than a third of this I went mad,
What, then, when a year and another year have passed?
So what if a year or two should pass?
يَلومُreproaches عَليكِover you خالٍsomeone free مِنof غَراميmy passion
يَلومُ عَليكِ خالٍ مِن غَرامي
رُوَيدَكَeasy now أَينَwhere سَمعيmy hearing وَالمَلامُand reproach
رُوَيدَكَ أَينَ سَمعي وَالمَلامُ
Someone untouched by my passion reproaches me for loving you.
A critic blames me for my passionate love,
Easy now! What have my ears to do with reproach?
Slow down, where is my hearing and who is to blame?
سُلُوٌّrelease from love مِثلُlike عَطفِكِyour tenderness لاnot يُرَجّىcan be hoped for
سُلُوٌّ مِثلُ عَطفِكِ لا يُرَجّى
وَصَبرٌand patience مِثلُlike وَصلِكِunion with you لاnot يُرامُcan be attained
وَصَبرٌ مِثلُ وَصلِكِ لا يُرامُ
Release from love, like your tenderness, is beyond hope;
There is no hope for reconciliation like your affection,
And patience, like union with you, cannot be attained.
Nor patience like being with you that can be endured.
وَكَيفَand how أُطيعُI obey عُذّاليmy reproachers وَعِنديwhile I have
وَكَيفَ أُطيعُ عُذّالي وَعِندي
هُمومٌcares قَدalready سَهِرتُI stayed awake لَهاover them وَنامواand they slept
هُمومٌ قَد سَهِرتُ لَها وَناموا
How can I heed my reproachers, when I have
How can I obey my blamer when I have concerns
Cares over which I have lain awake while they slept?
That have kept me awake while they slept?
وَنارٍand many a fire أوقِدَتwas kindled بِالغَورِin al-Ghawr وَهناًlate at night
وَنارٍ أوقِدَت بِالغَورِ وَهناً
فَشُبَّso was kindled لَهاin answer to it عَلىupon كَبِديmy liver ضِرامُa blaze
فَشُبَّ لَها عَلى كَبِدي ضِرامُ
And many a fire was kindled in al-Ghawr late at night,
A fire was lit in the darkness here
And in answer a blaze was kindled upon my liver.
And its embers burned in my liver.
ذَكَرتُI recalled بِهاthrough it زَمانَa time of هَوىًlove وَوَصلٍand union
ذَكَرتُ بِها زَمانَ هَوىً وَوَصلٍ
جَنِيٍّripe for plucking لِلصِبىfor youth فيهِwithin it غَرامُpassion
جَنِيٍّ لِلصِبى فيهِ غَرامُ
It made me recall a time of love and union,
I remembered the days of love and union,
Ripe for the plucking, with youth's passion alive there.
A paradise for the young filled with passion.
يُقيمُholds مَواسِمَfestivals اللَذاتِof pleasures فيهِthere
يُقيمُ مَواسِمَ اللَذاتِ فيهِ
وُجوهٌfaces مِنfrom بَنيthe sons of حَسَنٍHasan وِسامُhandsome
وُجوهٌ مِن بَني حَسَنٍ وِسامُ
There, festivals of pleasure were held
In it beautiful faces create seasons of joy
By handsome faces from the Banu Hasan.
And days in Kazima, though few,
وَأَيّاماًand days بِكاظِمَةٍin Kazima قِصاراًshort
وَأَيّاماً بِكاظِمَةٍ قِصاراً
عَلىupon أَيّامِthe days of كاظِمَةَKazima السَلامُpeace
عَلى أَيّامِ كاظِمَةَ السَلامُ
And fleeting days in Kazima—
Are like the days of Kazima, peace be upon her.
Peace be upon the days of Kazima!
I called upon you, O doves of the mosque,
نَشَدتُكِI beseech you ياO حَماماتِdoves of المُصَلّىal-Musalla
نَشَدتُكِ يا حَماماتِ المُصَلّى
مَتىwhen رُفِعَتwere lifted عَنِfrom الخَيفِal-Khayf الخِيامُthe tents
مَتى رُفِعَت عَنِ الخَيفِ الخِيامُ
I beseech you, O doves of al-Musalla:
When were the tents removed from the valley?
When were the tents lifted from al-Khayf?
And did the dynasties leave it with the passing of time
وَهَلand did زالَتdepart مَعَwith الأَظعانِthe departing caravans عَنهاfrom it
وَهَل زالَت مَعَ الأَظعانِ عَنها
بُدورٌfull moons لاnot يُزايِلُهاleaves them التَمامُfullness
بُدورٌ لا يُزايِلُها التَمامُ
And did there depart from it, with the departing caravans,
Calamities that no arrows can pierce?
Full moons that never lose their fullness?
Imagination makes me think it depicts him
وَمايَلَنيand drew me aside عَنِfrom الخُلَصاءِloyal friends رامٍan archer
وَمايَلَني عَنِ الخُلَصاءِ رامٍ
مُصيبٌunerring لاnot تَطيشُgo astray لَهُfor him سِهامُarrows
مُصيبٌ لا تَطيشُ لَهُ سِهامُ
And an archer drew me away from my loyal friends,
Or a dream represents him.
Unerring, whose arrows never stray.
So it sickened me with ailing eyelids
يُخَيَّلُit seems أَنthat تُصَوِّرَهُgive him form الأَمانيwishes
يُخَيَّلُ أَن تُصَوِّرَهُ الأَماني
لِعَينيto my eye أَوor يُمَثِّلَهُportray him المَنامُdreaming
لِعَيني أَو يُمَثِّلَهُ المَنامُ
It seems that wishes give him form
And swore it would not leave me in poor health.
Before my eye, or dreams portray him.
It bent my waist just so
فَأَسقَمَنيso he made me ill بِأَجفانٍwith eyelids مِراضٍailing
فَأَسقَمَني بِأَجفانٍ مِراضٍ
وَأَقسَمَand he swore لاnot يُفارِقُنيwill leave me السِقامُillness
وَأَقسَمَ لا يُفارِقُني السِقامُ
So he made me ill with ailing eyelids,
And with my hunch back it persisted.
And swore that sickness would never leave me.
Its steps shame the pacing of the wanton,
ثَنىbent عِطفيmy side لَهُtoward him ذاكَthat التَثَنّيswaying
ثَنى عِطفي لَهُ ذاكَ التَثَنّي
وَقامَand upheld بِجُجَّتيwith my argument (probable typo) فيهِconcerning him القَوامُupright stature
وَقامَ بِجُجَّتي فيهِ القَوامُ
That swaying of his bent my side toward him,
And from its glances the wine becomes intoxicated.
And his stature upheld my case concerning him.
Its waist carries what the hands of Abi Nasr bore,
يُعيرُlends البانَthe ban-tree خَطوَتُهُhis step اِعتِدالاًstraightness
يُعيرُ البانَ خَطوَتُهُ اِعتِدالاً
وَيَسكَرُand grows drunk مِنfrom لَواحِظِهِhis sidelong glances المُدامُwine
وَيَسكَرُ مِن لَواحِظِهِ المُدامُ
His step lends the ban-tree its upright grace,
A young man whose hands yearn to give like the longing lover.
And wine grows drunk on his sidelong glances.
It has an aroma that emanates a fragrance
وَحُمِّلَand was burdened خَصرُهُhis waist ماwhat حَمَّلَتناburdened us
وَحُمِّلَ خَصرُهُ ما حَمَّلَتنا
أَيادٍfavors مِنfrom أَبيAbu نَصرٍNasr جِسامُweighty
أَيادٍ مِن أَبي نَصرٍ جِسامُ
And his waist was made to bear what we were made to bear
As the bouquets open from the meadow.
By weighty favors from Abu Nasr.
The mounts are drawn to it
فَتىًa youth يَدُهُhis hand تَحِنُّyearns إِلىfor العَطاياgifts
فَتىً يَدُهُ تَحِنُّ إِلى العَطايا
كَماjust as حَنَّyearned المَشوقُthe longing lover المُستَهامُlove-distraught
كَما حَنَّ المَشوقُ المُستَهامُ
A youth whose hand yearns for giving,
As if its courtyard were the sacred land.
As a longing, love-distraught lover yearns.
No gloom when the delegations have cast down their staffs,
لَهاit has شِيَمٌvirtues يَفوحُwafts لَهاof theirs أَريجٌa fragrance
لَها شِيَمٌ يَفوحُ لَها أَريجٌ
كَماas اِنفَتَقَتburst open عَنِto reveal الرَوضِthe garden الكِمامُthe bud-sheaths
كَما اِنفَتَقَت عَنِ الرَوضِ الكِمامُ
It has virtues whose fragrance wafts abroad,
Nor frowns in its square.
As bud-sheaths burst open to reveal the garden.
When its hands give generously, clouds pour forth unrestrained.
تُشَدُّare fastened إِلَيهِtoward him أَكوارُsaddles المَطاياof riding mounts
تُشَدُّ إِلَيهِ أَكوارُ المَطايا
كَأَنَّas though فِناءَهُhis courtyard البَلَدُthe city الحَرامُthe sacred
كَأَنَّ فِناءَهُ البَلَدُ الحَرامُ
The mounts' saddles are fastened for the journey to him,
Which of them is the rain cloud cannot be known.
As though his courtyard were the Sacred City.
If its clouds withhold, still a downpour from its sources—
وَلاnor جَهمٌgrim-faced وَقَدwhile already أَلقَتlaid down عَصاهاtheir staff
وَلا جَهمٌ وَقَد أَلقَت عَصاها
بِساحَتِهِin his courtyard الوُفودُthe delegations وَلاnor جَهامُa rainless cloud
بِساحَتِهِ الوُفودُ وَلا جَهامُ
He is not grim, once staffs have been laid down
A cloud of treasures raining down.
By delegations in his courtyard, nor a rainless cloud.
It has bounty, valor, cultivation,
إِذاwhen جادَتgave freely يَداهُhis two hands وَجادَand gave freely صَوبُa downpour of الthe (continued next line)
إِذا جادَت يَداهُ وَجادَ صَوبُ ال
حَياrain لَمnot يُدرَbe known أَيُّهُماwhich of the two الغَمامُthe cloud
حَيا لَم يُدرَ أَيُّهُما الغَمامُ
When his hands give freely, and so does the downpour of
Vanquishing, pardon, and vengeance.
Rain, none can tell which of the two is the cloud.
The night’s young ones fear its power,
وَإِنand if ضَنَّتwithheld stingily سَحائِبُهُits clouds سَقاناgave us drink
وَإِن ضَنَّت سَحائِبُهُ سَقانا
سَحابٌa cloud مِنfrom مَوارِدِهِhis watering places رُكامُheaped up
سَحابٌ مِن مَوارِدِهِ رُكامُ
And if its clouds are stingy, we are given drink
While great misdeeds are small in its presence.
By a massed cloud from his springs.
A protector whose neighbor is not wronged,
لَهُhe has جودٌgenerosity وَبَأسٌand valor وَاِصطِناعٌand patronage
لَهُ جودٌ وَبَأسٌ وَاِصطِناعٌ
وَإِرغامٌand subjugation وَعَفوٌand pardon وَاِنتِقامُand vengeance
وَإِرغامٌ وَعَفوٌ وَاِنتِقامُ
His are generosity, valor, and patronage,
A shepherd whose flock is not threatened.
And subjugation, pardon, and vengeance.
I entrusted the turns of my days, though unjust,
تَخافُfear سُطاهُhis assaults أَحداثُthe calamities of اللَياليthe nights
تَخافُ سُطاهُ أَحداثُ اللَيالي
وَتَصغَرُand dwindle عِندَهُbefore him النُوَبُmisfortunes العِظامُgreat
وَتَصغَرُ عِندَهُ النُوَبُ العِظامُ
The calamities of the nights fear his assaults,
Forbidden and prohibited for the days.
And great misfortunes dwindle before him.
The pillar of faith has become my neighbor
مُجيرٌa protector لاnot يُضامُis wronged لَدَيهِin his care جارٌa protected neighbor
مُجيرٌ لا يُضامُ لَدَيهِ جارٌ
وَراعٍand a shepherd لاnot يُراعُis frightened لَهُbelonging to him سَوامُgrazing herds
وَراعٍ لا يُراعُ لَهُ سَوامُ
A protector: no neighbor in his care is wronged;
And the neighbor of the victorious cannot be wronged,
And a shepherd whose grazing herds are never frightened.
Of the people with faces that illuminate the darkness,
أَمِنتُI am safe from صُروفَthe vicissitudes of أَيّاميmy days فَظُلميso wronging me
أَمِنتُ صُروفَ أَيّامي فَظُلمي
عَلىfor الأَيّامِthe days مَحظورٌforbidden حَرامُunlawful
عَلى الأَيّامِ مَحظورٌ حَرامُ
I am safe from my days' vicissitudes; to wrong me
Whose habit is blades and lean frames
Is forbidden to the days, unlawful.
That when bared hungry souls are their only food.
وَقَدand now أَمسىhas become عِمادُImad الدينِal-Din جاريmy protector
وَقَد أَمسى عِمادُ الدينِ جاري
وَجارُand a protégé of بَنيthe sons of المُظَفَّرِal-Muzaffar لاnot يُضامُis wronged
وَجارُ بَني المُظَفَّرِ لا يُضامُ
And Imad al-Din has become my protector;
They give generously and are ruthless—they are life
And no protégé of the Banu al-Muzaffar is wronged.
To those who hope in them and a sanctuary.
مِنَfrom القَومِthe people الَّذينَwho لَهُمthey have وُجوهٌfaces
مِنَ القَومِ الَّذينَ لَهُم وُجوهٌ
وَإِحسانٌand beneficence يُضيءُshines بِهِthrough it الظَلامُthe darkness
وَإِحسانٌ يُضيءُ بِهِ الظَلامُ
Of a people with noble faces,
So say, O days, to the misers about me:
And beneficence that lights up the darkness.
“I have forbidden myself what the vile bestow.”
عَتادُهُمُtheir equipment مُثَقَّفَةٌstraightened spears رِقاقٌslender
عَتادُهُمُ مُثَقَّفَةٌ رِقاقٌ
وَجُردٌand sleek horses أَعيُنُهاtheir eyes صِيامُfasting
وَجُردٌ أَعيُنُها صِيامُ
Their equipment: slender, straightened spears,
If you neglect my hopes and so
And sleek horses whose eyes are fasting.
Obstacles arise that no bridle can gently curb,
إِذاwhen عَرِيَتare bared سُيوفُهُمُtheir swords المَواضيthe keen-edged
إِذا عَرِيَت سُيوفُهُمُ المَواضي
فَلَيسَso there is no سِوىother than النُفوسُsouls لَهاfor them طَعامُfood
فَلَيسَ سِوى النُفوسُ لَها طَعامُ
When their keen swords are bared,
And war horses whose reins cannot control,
They have no food but souls.
Then I will guard rhyme from men
سَخَواthey gave generously وَسَطَواand struck fiercely فُهُمso they are حَياةٌlife
سَخَوا وَسَطَوا فُهُم حَياةٌ
لِمَنfor whoever يَرجوهُمُhopes in them وَهُمُand they are حِمامُdeath
لِمَن يَرجوهُمُ وَهُمُ حِمامُ
They gave freely and struck fiercely: they are life
Whose praise in them is shameful and condemnable,
To those who hope in them, and they are death.
And visit with it the sanctuary of a noble king—
فَقُلso say ياO دَهرُTime لِلبُخَلاءِto the misers عَنّيon my behalf
فَقُل يا دَهرُ لِلبُخَلاءِ عَنّي
حَظَرتُI forbade عَلَيَّto myself ماwhat يَهَبُbestow اللِئامُthe ignoble
حَظَرتُ عَلَيَّ ما يَهَبُ اللِئامُ
So say, O Time, to the misers on my behalf:
The generous are stingy when the noble mention him.
I have forbidden myself what the ignoble bestow.
So neither missing at the shooting range when we shoot
وَإِنand if ضَنَّتwere stingy بِآماليwith my hopes فَأَضحَتso they became
وَإِن ضَنَّت بِآمالي فَأَضحَت
مَصاعِبُunruly camels لاnot يَلينُyields لَهاfor them خِطامُa nose-rein
مَصاعِبُ لا يَلينُ لَها خِطامُ
And if my hopes are withheld, so that they become
With its straight flight, nor crookedness.
Unruly camels whose nose-reins will not yield,
You established a market for morals and manners
وَكَرَّand returned عَلىto الحِيَاضِthe watering pools مُحَلَّآتٍdriven away from water
وَكَرَّ عَلى الحِيَاضِ مُحَلَّآتٍ
حَوائِمُthirstily circling camels لاnot يُبَلُّis quenched لَهاfor them هِيامُburning thirst
حَوائِمُ لا يُبَلُّ لَها هِيامُ
And, driven away, they return to the watering pools,
While with others they cannot be established.
Thirsty, circling beasts whose burning thirst is never quenched,
So take my praise according to my capacity,
فَأَحمَيتُso I withheld القَوافيthe rhymes عَنfrom رِجالٍmen
فَأَحمَيتُ القَوافي عَن رِجالٍ
مَديحيmy praise فيهِمُof them عارٌshame وَذامُand reproach
مَديحي فيهِمُ عارٌ وَذامُ
So I withheld my rhymes from men—
For your sublimity is beyond envisioning.
My praise of them would be shame and reproach.
Praise of you the likes of which was not praised in the past—
وَزُرتُand I visited بِهاwith them حِمىthe sanctuary of مَلِكٍa king كَريمٍgenerous
وَزُرتُ بِها حِمى مَلِكٍ كَريمٍ
يُبَخَّلُare deemed miserly حينَwhen تَذكُرُهُyou mention him الكِرامُthe generous
يُبَخَّلُ حينَ تَذكُرُهُ الكِرامُ
And with them I visited a generous king's sanctuary;
Not al-Walid nor Hisham.
When you mention him, the generous are deemed miserly.
فَلاso not نابيglancing off المَضارِبِat the cutting edges حينَwhen نَرميwe strike
فَلا نابي المَضارِبِ حينَ نَرمي
بِحَدَّيهِwith its two edges الخُطوبَcalamities وَلاnor كَهامُblunt
بِحَدَّيهِ الخُطوبَ وَلا كَهامُ
So he is no sword that glances off when we strike
Calamities with its two edges, nor a blunt blade.
أَقامَestablished نَداكَyour bounty لِلآدابِfor letters سوقاًa market
أَقامَ نَداكَ لِلآدابِ سوقاً
وَكانَتand it was عِندَwith غَيرِكَothers besides you لاnot تُقامُset up
وَكانَت عِندَ غَيرِكَ لا تُقامُ
Your bounty has set up a market for letters,
Which with anyone else was never set up.
فَخُذso take مِنّيfrom me الثَناءَpraise بِقَدرِaccording to وُسعيmy capacity
فَخُذ مِنّي الثَناءَ بِقَدرِ وُسعي
فَقَدرُfor the measure of عُلاكَyour exalted rank شَيءٌsomething لاnot يُرامُcan be reached
فَقَدرُ عُلاكَ شَيءٌ لا يُرامُ
So accept from me praise within my ability,
For the measure of your exalted rank is beyond reach.
ثَناءًpraise فيكَof you لَمnot يُمدَحbe praised قَديماًof old
ثَناءً فيكَ لَم يُمدَح قَديماً
بِجودَتِهِwith its excellence الوَليدُal-Walid وَلاnor هِشامُHisham
بِجودَتِهِ الوَليدُ وَلا هِشامُ
Praise of you such as never, in days of old,
Was given with such excellence to al-Walid or Hisham.
Partial English translation: 75 of 84 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1